The document discusses organisational culture, emphasizing its definition, significance, and impact on company effectiveness. It outlines three levels of culture: artefacts, values, and basic assumptions, and explores how personal characteristics and experiences influence individual values within the workplace. Additionally, it highlights the importance of aligning individual and organisational values for improved employee performance and retention alongside strategies for creating strong organisational cultures.

1. Organisational Culture and
ValuesValues
Dr Dorota Joanna BourneDr Dorota Joanna Bourne

2. Learning Objectives
1. Present a concept of organisational
culture.
2. Explain the role culture plays in2. Explain the role culture plays in
organisational life.
3. Analyse how organisational culture
impacts on company’s effectiveness.

3. Culture
Material and spiritual heritage produced by
people in the course of societal
development.development.
The ideas, beliefs and customs that are
shared and accepted by people in a
society.

4. Organisational Culture
Material and spiritual heritage produced by
the members of organisation.
The attitudes, ideas, beliefs and customs
that are shared and accepted by people in
a particular organisation.

5. Levels of Organisational Culture
Three levels of culture (Schein, 1981):
1) Artefacts and creations - the visible
manifestations of a culture.manifestations of a culture.
2) Values and ideology – rules, principles, norms,
values, morals and ethics.
3) Basic assumptions and premises –
underlying and typically unconscious
assumptions about the nature of truth and
reality, the nature of human nature, time and
space.

6. Culture at the level of the firm
Organisational culture (Descriptive, analytical)
Analysis of the difference between organisations
as a product of history, technology, product
market, strategy, national culture, management
style.
market, strategy, national culture, management
style.
Corporate culture (Prescriptive, managerial)
An attempt by senior management to achieve
strategic ends by manipulating the culture of the
firm.

7. Values
The importance a person attaches to something
that serves as a guide to action.
Values are also tied in with enduring beliefs that one’s
mode of conduct is better than the opposite mode ofmode of conduct is better than the opposite mode of
conduct.
Influences on values
Personal characteristics
Personal experience and cultural background
Socio-economic position

8. How Values Are Learned
Modeling and identification with the
behaviors of parents, teachers, friends,
siblings.
Communication of values by influentialCommunication of values by influential
persons.
Unstated or implied attitudes of key
people.
Religious training and social morals.

9. How Workers Learn Culture
The socialisation process
A process of coming to understand the
values, norms, and customs of the
organisation.organisation.
Observation of leaders
Leaders provide vital guidance to
new workers through what leaders
pay attention to, measure,
and control.

10. Aligning Individual and
Organisational Values
Employee job performance is likely to be higher.
Employees are more successful and believe
they can reach their career goals.
Employees are more likely to remain with the
firm and to work longer hours.
Employees do not suffer person-role conflict in
attempting to obey orders that clash with
personal values.

11. Creating Strong Cultures
Top management who set goals and guidelines
emphasising core values (usually include loyalty,
enthusiasm, customer care, quality)
High investment in communications network and processes
Rituals to strengthen and reward appropriate behaviourRituals to strengthen and reward appropriate behaviour
Use of corporate heroes
Importance attached to physical environment at work
Careful selection of employees
Emphasis on individual contribution
Strong induction and training programmes